


Pierced

by merceralexs



Category: Julie and The Phantoms (TV)
Genre: Fluff and Angst, Forehead Touching, Julie & Alex being best friends, M/M, Piercings, Tattoos, Willie and Alex are just really soft okay, they're all just best friends and this is chaotic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-17
Updated: 2020-12-17
Packaged: 2021-03-11 00:48:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,658
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28106553
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/merceralexs/pseuds/merceralexs
Summary: Alex jokingly suggests that he wants to do something spontaneous, like get a tattoo or even a piercing. And well, Reggie's watched a lot of YouTube tutorials with Luke. Chaos ensues and Alex is left in the aftermath, wondering how he got so lucky (and cursed) to have Reggie & Luke in his life.-Or this is the tattoo/piercing shenanigans the hgc asked for and i'm just out here delivering.
Relationships: Alex & Julie Molina, Alex/Willie (Julie and The Phantoms), Julie Molina/Luke Patterson, Julie Molina/Reggie
Comments: 17
Kudos: 178





	1. Helix

**Author's Note:**

> so i'm terrible at summaries, i'm so sorry but it's definitely something i'm trying to work on! anyway, this idea stemmed from mick (@hotdogalex on tumblr) in the group chat and the group chat helped we run with it! so here we have it. it's just the boys being chaotic as usual. luke has a nose piercing. it's a great time.  
> hope you enjoy!

“Luke, can you  _ please  _ not do this?” Alex begs. Alex was never one to beg. He didn’t beg for his very first set of drums, he earned them. He didn’t beg for the attention from his first boyfriend his freshman year of high school, he and Eric just happened naturally. And he surely didn’t beg for forgiveness when his parents kicked him out at sixteen, he was too prideful. But he was begging now, because Luke was smirking at him with a needle in one hand and a cup full of ice cubes in the other, and he was  _ not good with pain _ . 

“Come  _ on _ , I pierced my nose and I turned out alright.” Alex raises an eyebrow. “You don’t need to respond to that. It’s like a little pin prick, quick and painless.” 

  
“Where did you even learn how to do this?” Alex asks, sitting down on the couch and brushing his fingers through his hair. “Who even pierced  _ your _ nose?” 

“Reggie?” he says, as if it’s the most obvious thing in the world. Alex's mouth opens and closes a few times, at a loss for words. “He’s supposed to be here soon anyway.” 

“ _ Why? _ ” Alex sits up straight and his leg begins to bounce and his palms got sweaty. Luke knew that if he  _ really  _ didn’t want it, he wouldn’t push. But something inside him felt exhilarated. There were a few things Luke and Reggie did that Alex always chickened out of: the small tattoos they got when they were seventeen and they booked the Orpheum, playing  _ very _ risky games of What Are the Odds with some girls they met at a party the night before they played the Orpheum. Come to think of it, a lot of their ridiculous decisions happened in spur of booking the Orpheum. Rightfully so, but Alex could never justify stepping outside the lines. 

“Alex, you’ve been in a box your whole life, letting people tell you how to live, how to walk, talk,  _ live _ . Newsflash, we’re dead now. We can do whatever we want,” Luke says. “The ice is melting.” 

“Good!” Alex bites. He was anxious to jump outside the lines, he did enough of that by being a gay drummer in a punk rock band in the 90s. He was fine with his bubble, nothing bad happened inside his bubble. He takes a breath and Reggie appears beside him. “So you’re in on this too?” 

“I’m not  _ in _ on anything. But I am here to see you squirm, yeah,” he laughs. Alex rolls his eyes. 

“You guys just enjoy seeing me suffer? That’s it?” Reggie just shrugs. “What if it’s not safe, or sanitary? What if it doesn’t go through? What if I bleed a lot?” 

“Then don’t get blood on the piano!” Luke exclaims. “Now c’mon,” he says, bouncing on his toes. He’s itching with anticipation as he gets down to Alex’s level, putting a hand on his knee. “I know there’s some part of you deep down that wants this. And if there isn’t,” he holds his hands in defense, “I won’t push.” Alex looks between his two best friends, honestly Luke had a point, there  _ was _ something in him that wanted to truly experience spontaneity. When he jokingly offered up the idea of getting an ear pierced, he didn’t expect Luke to appear again after a moment with all the supplies. “But seriously,” Luke whispers, “if you don’t think fast the ice is going to melt.” 

“Fine,” he rolls his eyes. Luke and Reggie let out a yell, high fiving as Alex presses his fingers to his temples and takes a breath. “But if I do this, you shut up and leave me alone for the rest of forever.” 

“Near impossible,” Reggie rolls his eyes. Luke bounces back over to the cup of ice and grabs it. “You want your cartilage pierced, like  _ Willie? _ ” he asks, wiggling his eyebrows. Alex quirks an eyebrow and tries to repress the blush that spreads across his cheeks. 

“Awe! Alex is blushing,” Luke teases. Alex shoots a glare his way and Luke steps forward, pushing Alex’s shoulder down. Alex looks at him. “I think you’ll be more comfortable laying down,” he offers. Alex is wary at first, but listens, laying back on the couch and taking another breath. “So it’s going to be really quick. The ice is going to go on the back of your ear for a minute, then we’re going to switch the ice with the apple slice so the needle has something to catch.” 

“The… apple slice….” Alex says, rolling his eyes. Luke sighs and knits his eyebrows together. “Okay, okay, I trust you.” 

“That’s convincing,” Reggie laughs. Luke holds the ice cube against the top of Alex’s ear, Alex flinches at the cold but relaxes after a moment. “Did Luke tell you that it’s going to hurt?” Alex’s eyes go wide and Luke glares at him. 

“NO!? He said it was a pinch! Luke, is it going to hurt?” 

“No!” Luke exclaims, giving Reggie a look. “O-o-okay so maybe like a little. If we were doing your lobes it wouldn’t be  _ as _ painful. But you want to match your boyfriend so-”

“He’s not my boyfriend,” Alex chirps, pushing Luke’s hand away. “I cop out.” 

“Oh come  _ on _ ! It’s fine, really. It’s fine,” Luke says with a small smile. There’s something that twists in Alex’s stomach, but in a good way. Something about Luke standing there and Reggie’s eager energy radiating from his body made him feel like this was right, what he  _ needed _ to finally step out of his bubble. But then he remembered there was a whole needle about to stab through his skin and he feels claustrophobic. “You’re spiraling. He’s spiraling,” Luke says, looking to Reggie. Reggie moves and sits on top of Alex, his knees on either side of his hips, and smiles. 

“I feel like this is unethical,” Alex says. Reggie laughs and just shakes his head. “What are you going to pin my hands down like you tried to do when you guys wanted me to eat an  _ entire can of whipped cream _ ?” 

“Maybe! But that was fun!” 

“Reg you threw up an hour later,” Alex groans, shifting slightly and clenching his fists. Reggie holds the ice under his ear a little bit longer, Alex feeling the water drip down the back of his neck. “What if-”

“Alex, you’re being so  _ emotional _ ,” Reggie chuckles. Alex looks back over at Luke who’s twirling the needle between his fingers and chewing on his bottom lip, an impatient look in his eyes. 

“You would be too if Luke was looking at you like  _ that _ with a needle in his hand and an apple slice in the other wanting to rip apart your skin.” 

“You’re so dramatic,” Luke says, stepping forward. Luke gives Reggie a look and then Alex looks between the two. “We can count or we can distract you, it’s up to you.” 

“Did your nose hurt?” Luke shrugs. “You’re  _ very _ helpful.” Alex takes another breath and then grabs the hand that Reggie is offering. “Why are you sitting on me again?” 

“Because you were kind of spiraling and if you even so much as flinch the wrong way, Luke will puncture your head,” Reggie smiles. Alex deadpans and Luke looks at him exasperated. “What?” 

“Just breathe,” Luke says, pressing the needle to Alex’s ear. Alex takes a deep breath in. “Let it out,” he says, fully focused as Alex lets the breath out. He pushes the needle through as Reggie lifts the ice cube and he uses the slice to catch the needle.    
  


“ _ Fuck! _ ” Alex exclaims, squeezing Reggie’s hand. Luke and Reggie share a look, both trying not to laugh before Luke goes back to focusing and slips a hoop through the hole, tightening it so that it’s secure and then he sits back on his heels to admire his work. “It’s over?” 

“Yes, princess,” Luke laughs, “it’s over.” Alex sits up and Reggie moves off his lap, siting beside him. Alex stands up and rushes to the bathroom, combing his hair behind his ear and looking at Luke’s work. It’s throbbing and red, but that’s to be expected. Luke comes in behind him, standing on his toes to rest his chin on his shoulder. “You like it?” Reggie moves beside him and squeezes his shoulder. 

“Yeah,” Alex says, letting out a sigh of relief. “Yeah, I really do.” He turns back to them and smiles. “Thanks.” 

“You are the most dramatic person ever, but you’re welcome,” Luke says softly. Alex tilts his head, admiring his nose ring, then he gestures to Reggie. 

“You did that?” 

“Sure did!” Reggie says pridefully. “Julie taught me how to find things on YouTube and it’s amazing what you can find! Did you know that there’s an actual tutorial on how to fix your amp, but-”

“Not in the rain?” Luke and Alex share a look before laughing. 

“What are you guys doing?” they hear from the main room of the studio. They leave the bathroom, finding Julie sitting on the couch with her arms folded. “I could hear you from my bedroom.” 

“Oh no, seriously?” Alex asks, a blush creeping up his neck. He turns his head to the side, scratching the back of his neck. “They,” he clears his throat upon hearing his voice crack, “they pierced my ear.” Julie’s eyes light up, springing from the couch and leaning on her toes to further inspect. 

“Oh my gosh, that’s so cool! Did it hurt?” 

“I mean, you heard what I said,” Alex says bashfully. Julie laughs and takes a step back. “But it’s fine now, I think. Maybe it’ll hurt in a little bit or something when the adrenaline wears off but right now it’s fine. It’s amazing what you can learn from YouTube,” he says, grabbing Julie’s hands and pulling her down to the couch. “I didn’t know Luke was capable.” 

“I’m  _ plenty _ capable!” he defends as Alex waves him off. Luke crosses his arms and huffs. “You forget who just pierced your ear, man.” Alex shoots him a smile and Luke’s posture softens. 

“Do you like his nose ring?” Alex asks Julie. Julie looks at Luke, who’s arms drop to his sides as he stands up a little straighter, dusting off his jeans. She tilts her head to the side and gives him a soft smile. He leans in to whisper, “You can be honest.” She giggles. 

“I like it. It’d definitely be cool to get something like that sometime, I think. Maybe when I’m older,” she says. Alex blanks at her for a moment and then looks to Reggie and Luke. “So what are you guys going to do next?” 

“Well, Reggie’s been talking about this thing called gauging?” Luke says, raising an eyebrow. Julie nods thoughtfully. 

“I don’t know if you guys could pull that off yourselves, though.” Reggie and Luke both shrug. 

“Guess we won’t know until we try!” Reggie says eagerly. She has to admire how much trust they have in each other, the bond that they have, happy to be a part of something so special. “We’d pierce your ear but Ray might kill us.” 

“I don’t think he can kill what’s already dead, Reg,” Alex chuckles. They all just nod at Reggie, a smile on his face. “So you really heard me say that word?” 

Julie feigns innocence, more for the boy's entertainment than her own. “What word?” Alex sighs. He looks back at Luke and Reggie who are just trying to contain their laughter. “ _ Oh _ ! You mean when you swore.” Alex looks back at her. “No, no, remind me?” 

“You guys are relentless.” 

Luke just chuckles, “Dude, you can say ‘fuck’.” 

  
  



	2. You're It

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The one where Willie finds out about Alex's piercing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i got a request to do a second part to this fic, and now i'm making it a universe! this is purely too many words of fluff and comfort. i love my kiddos.   
> hope you enjoy!

Willie wasn’t his boyfriend, he wasn’t. But he was his  _ something _ , and that he couldn’t quite figure out. They toed around the idea of a relationship somewhere along the way after they freed Willie of his club stamp, but it was quickly stomped down by Alex’s anxiety. Given the fact that he had little to  _ no _ relationship experience it was not only stressful, starting something new with someone he saw as highly out of his league, but it was also terrifying. 

“What’s going on in Alex’s head?” Julie sings beside him on the couch. He blinks and shakes his head, turning to look at her. “It’s-it’s a tik...tok…” Alex raises his eyebrows. “Nevermind,” she clears her throat. “Whatcha thinkin?” 

“Oh, uh, not much,” he says, looking down to pick at an imaginary hangnail. Julie grabs his hand and forces his attention on her. She’s gotten used to Alex preoccupying himself with anything other than his feelings. He picks at hangnails that aren’t there, he drums his fingers on his leg, bounces his knee. She knows where it stems from, but she’s always there to help alleviate it. “Sorry.” 

“It’s just you and me,” she offers a small smile. He nods. “We don’t have to talk about it, but you’ve got to stop picking at imaginary hangnails, Alex. You’re going to drive me up a wall,” she smirks. He scoffs with a smile on his face. “Is this about Willie?” 

“How could you possibly know that?” Alex groans. Julie might as well have known Alex his entire life. Four months into their relationship and she already knows him like the back of her hand. Maybe that’s why they’re best friends (aside from Flynn being number one, of course). “Am I that obvious? Do you think he knows? Can you read it on my face? Oh my god what if-”

“Alex!” Julie exclaims, effectively snapping Alex back to reality. “Maybe he knows, and it’s okay if he knows. I mean, have you guys talked about a relationship? Or….”

“Not really,” Alex says, pausing for a beat, “the last time we attempted I got all flustered and red in the face, I thought I was going to die all over again.” 

“Okay, that’s dramatic.”

“Is it?” Alex questions, his voice raising an octave. Julie raises her eyebrows at him and he relaxes. “Okay, maybe a little bit but… I don’t know,” he looks down at his hands. “The one and only boyfriend I really had was just easy. Not saying that being with Willie is not easy, because it  _ is _ . I mean we’re in the afterlife, there aren’t any rules here but with Eric… I don’t know. Things were different, I guess. We sort of just were together because we were the only two kids ‘out’ to some friends and family. Even then it wasn’t to the world but still. There was no pressure, we were kids. It was our own little thing, and I didn’t mind it being behind closed doors. Neither of us felt very comfortable being super out around that time anyway. Plus Eric was before my parents…” 

“Yeah,” Julie tells him, letting him know he doesn’t have to finish that statement. “But what about you and Luke?” Alex’s eyes go wide and she can physically see him begin to shake. “Hey, hey, come back down to Earth,” she tells him, her hand on his shoulder. “It’s… it’s not a big deal, that I know. Right? Unless it is for you?” Alex is silent. “Luke and I had the conversation when we were going over Bright for the set list. Said he wrote it for you?”

Alex scratches the back of his neck, “Yeah…. Yeah. I mean, we were together for a bit. Bobby and Reg were pretty much the only ones who knew, Luke helped push me out of my comfort zone as much as I would allow but it just didn’t work out. And there’s no bad blood,  _ obviously _ but...I...don’t know how to finish this.” 

Julie giggles, “You don’t have to finish it any type of way, Alex. And no, because I know you’re going to ask, it’s not something that bothers me. Not mad you didn’t tell me first or this or that, I’m just happy that you’re happy. You’re  _ happy _ when you’re with Willie, I can see it when you come back from being with him. I can see how much you care for him and he cares for you, too.” 

“Yeah,” Alex says, and then groans, standing up from the couch. “I just wish things didn’t have to change. I  _ hate _ change.” 

“Hey that piercing was a change, right?” Julie questions, pointing to his new hoop. Alex gingerly grazes it with his fingers and nods. “You’re still standing. And you’ll still be standing if you talk to Willie. You don’t have to talk to him today, in a week, heck even six months from now. You’ll talk to him when you’re ready, but just know we’ll all be here rooting for you.” 

Alex’s shoulders relax and his fists unclench tilting his head. He steps forward and wraps Julie in his arms, feeling at ease with her arms around him. He feels her take a deep breath before letting it out and pulling back from him. “You got this.” 

“Thanks, Julie.” 

“Alex! I’m so glad that you’re still here I was just at the skate park and -” Willie rambles, poofing in and stopping short once he sees the two of them. “Oh am I interrupting a moment? I didn’t mean to. I can come back.” 

“No, it’s okay,” Alex says. Julie looks up at him and then he nods. “Willie’s here.” 

“Oh!” Julie smiles, waving in Willie’s direction. Willie waves back even though she can’t see him. “I’ll let you be.” Alex holds her hand. “Alex, you have to let go.” 

“I don’t think I do,” he says with a smile. She gives an apologetic look in Willie’s direction, who in turn laughs. “If you stay here then I never have to say it.” She leans on her toes and kisses his cheek, Willie watching the moment with quite fondness. Alex blushes. “Okay okay…” 

“You’ve got this.” 

“You’ve got what?” Willie asks, poking Alex’s side, as Julie leaves the studio. Alex looks at him and smiles, Willie poking him again. Alex tries to reach for his hand but Willie dodges and pokes again. “You’re just too slow, hot dog,” he laughs, poking him again. Alex  _ giggles _ and Willie’s eyes gleam. “That’s cute.” 

“Shut up,” Alex groans, covering his face. Willie pokes him again and Alex shifts. He feels Willie reach up and grab his hands, lowering them and twining their fingers together. “H-hi.”

“Hey,” Willie smiles, rubbing his thumb against the inside of Alex’s hand and then gesturing to the couch. “Wanna sit?” 

“Sure.” They sit down on the couch together, Willie shifting and pulling Alex to lay against his chest. They both extend their legs along the couch and Alex relaxes into Willie’s embrace. Willie’s fingers are still laced with Alex’s, resting on Alex’s stomach. “How was your day?” 

“You’re trying to fill the silence, aren’t you?” Willie laughs, using his free hand to play with Alex’s hair. Alex looks down at their hands and fidgets with his fingers. He’s quiet for a long moment before Willie pokes his side. “Alex?” 

Alex rushes to sit up and face Willie, folding his legs under one another and Willie tilts his head, smiling at him. Willie pulls his knees to his chest and wraps his arms around himself, waiting for Alex to say something, because he knows he’s itching to.

“I-”

“Woah! Did you get your helix pierced?” he exclaims, leaning forward to touch the new addition to Alex. “S-sorry I didn’t mean to interrupt. I just,” Willie goes quiet, just looking at the piercing, how the silver hoop shines in the natural sunlight. “It looks good.” Willie sits back from Alex and admires him. 

Alex forgets how to think. He blinks. “Oh, thanks,” he says after a moment. “Yeah, Luke did it.” Willie nods. “It didn’t hurt or anything, you know it was pretty chill.” Willie knits his eyebrows, entertaining this side of Alex. 

“Right,” he smirks. “Mine hurt when I got it done. And I had a professional do it,” he chuckles. He reaches forward to grab Alex’s hand. “It’s pretty hot.” Alex briefly wonders if this is what combustion feels like. “Alex?” he asks, waving with his free hand. “You were saying something before I interrupted?” 

  
  


“Yeah,” his voice squeaks and Willie laughs, holding his stomach. Alex blushes furiously. “Come on…” 

Willie, sits back and wipes the tears from the corners of his eyes. “I don’t know  _ what _ that was, but it was adorable.” Alex just shakes his head and looks at their hands, taking a breath. “Hey, is something wrong?” 

“No!” he says, almost too quickly. “I mean, no not  _ really _ but kind of?” 

“Does it have anything to do with the moment I interrupted with you and Julie? I knew I shouldn’t have just come in unannounced, I’m so bad with timing.” It’s Alex’s turn to laugh, Willie playfully pokes his shoulder. “What?” 

“Nothing, you’re just…” he trails off, staring at him. He maps out his face, how his features are defined but still soft. His hair is pulled away from his face for once, knotted into a low bun, but still there are pieces falling everywhere to frame his features. He’s always chewing on his bottom lip as if that’s his way of holding back all his secrets and his thumb traces circles into the crook of his elbow. Alex can relate. “You’re just you.” 

“Well that says a lot,” Willie says, rolling his eyes with a hint of laughter in his voice. “I hope that’s good?” 

“Of course it’s good,” Alex huffs, standing up and beginning to pace. Willie looks up, tilting his head and watching Alex intently. “You’re always good, you’re so good in fact it’s a  _ little _ bit obnoxious. I mean have you ever looked at yourself in a mirror? Or so much as had a conversation with yourself? You’re so insightful and you always know the right thing to say” Willie chuckles. “Your hair is so long and it’s so pretty and you know that Julie is teaching me how to braid because I wanted to surprise you. We were talking about it the other day and I thought it would be a nice thing to do.” 

“You’re learning how to braid for me?” 

“So then I finally settled on the idea that hey, maybe this is just a really good friendship. Maybe it’s not, maybe it’s a relationship but I don't know what it is. And I’ve tried so many times to talk to you about it but I feel like settling on friendship is the easiest thing to do? I mean, have you  _ seen _ you?”

“You mentioned that.” 

“Right now!” he exclaims, stopping in the middle of the floor and gesturing towards Willie. “You’re not doing anything, you’re just sitting there and I want to wrap my arms around you and never let you go. You know, you’re killing the game as the kids say I guess.” 

Willie shakes his head and bites his lip, allowing Alex to go on this tirade of his. Something tells him he needs it. Willie takes a deep breath and reaches forward, grabbing Alex’s hand and pulling him back down to the couch. “Hey, hot dog?” 

“Yeah,” Alex says, taking a deep breath. Willie is silent for a moment, which is a bad idea because it gives Alex a window to keep rambling. “And Luke and Reggie were teasing yesterday when they pierced my ear saying that I would match my boyfriend and I said  _ no he’s not my boyfriend _ because I don’t know what we are. Then you come here, looking the way that you do in that purple crop top and radiating happiness and you tell me my piercing is pretty hot and my brain goes all fuzzy.” Alex groans and presses his forehead to Willie’s shoulder. “You’re the worst.” 

“I’m the worst?” Willie asks, exasperated. “I mean if I’m the worst, then I’ll just go.” He moves to get up and Alex puts a hand on his shoulder. 

“Don’t even think about it.” 

“Alex,” Willie smirks, lifting his chin and knitting his eyebrows together. “I just assumed after everything....” 

“Assumed  _ what? _ ” 

“That we were together? I mean, yeah there’s other ghosts around and stuff, especially in the HGC, but no one else ever sparked anything for me. So I just assumed after the Orpheum, freeing me from Caleb’s stamp, spending that weekend together in Pasadena trying and  _ failing,”  _ Alex let out a protestful  _ hey _ , “to teach you how to skate, the movie nights….” Willie scratches the back of his neck. “If I haven’t made it painfully obvious, I’m totally into you.” 

Alex blinks and shakes his head. Then he cracks a smile. “So I spiraled for nothing?”   
  


“I mean, I just let you go because it seemed like you needed it.” Willie moves one hand to the back of Alex’s neck, holding his gaze. “There’s no one else I want to spend this afterlife with.” Alex hangs his head. Willie nudges Alex with his forehead and Alex lifts his head, their foreheads pressed together. “You’re it.” 

“Can I ask you a question?” 

“That’s kind of your thing, isn’t it?” Willie whispers, giving him a small smile. He leans back, his attention still fully on Alex. “What’s up?” 

“You really think it looks hot?” Willie laughs and pokes Alex’s sides, causing a laugh to escape his throat. He pokes him again. “Willie,” he says with a warning. Willie just smirks and lunges forward, poking and tickling his sides. Alex shifts under his weight, the sound of their laughter filling the studio. He wrestles with him until he gets both hands, their fingers laced together. “Ha!” 

Willie rolls his eyes, “that was a cheap shot.” Alex gasps. They’re catching their breaths from laughing so hard, basking in the euphoria of the moment, eyes locked. “What?” Alex lets go of his hands, moving them to his neck, giving him a kiss, it’s brief, but effective. When he pulls back, he searches Willie’s eyes. Willie reaches his hand up to comb through his hair, brushing his piercing. “It really does look good, Alex.” 

Alex chews thoughtfully on the inside of his lip. “Thanks.” He blushes, “Was  _ that _ okay?” Willie nods, brushing his finger back and forth over the piercing. “Are you… entranced or something?” Willie shrugs. 

“I just never thought you’d do something like this,” he says after a moment. “With your anxiety and all, I thought it might freak you out. Truthfully I wanted to talk about it at one point, because I noticed you staring at it in the museum, but I thought against it.” Willie chooses his words carefully, as not to offend Alex and that’s only one of the many qualities Alex admires about him. Alex reaches up and puts his hand on Willie’s cheek. 

“Reggie had to sit on me, if that’s any indication of how it went. But it felt good, to do something  _ really _ out of my comfort zone.” Willie leans forward and presses a kiss to Alex’s temple, then his cheek. “Weirdly, it made me feel  _ alive _ .” 

“You’re really cute when you’re excited,” Willie says, the adoration evident in his tone. “I mean you’re really cute in general, but when you’re excited? Yeah, you’re  _ so _ cute.” 

“Well you really know how to make a guy feel confident,” Alex laughs, their lips brushing over one another. 

“Yeah?” 

“Yeah.” Time stops when he leans forward to capture Willie’s lips again, though this time it’s not rushed, or high on adrenaline. It’s slow and they take their time, finding a rhythm of long connections and peppered kisses, laughing all the while. Alex wanted to live in this moment forever. When they finally do separate, their breathing is labored, foreheads pressed to one another. 

“How do you feel about tattoos?” Willie asks. 

Alex laughs, combing Willie’s hair behind his ear, a tenderness in his heart. “No.” 

  
  
  



End file.
